It has been a while since I have posted anything. I have been quite busy the last couple of weeks or so. In addition to organizing, I supplement our family income by substitute teaching and occasionally working in the cafeterias of our school district. Both have been keeping me working, almost on a daily basis. The days I have not been working in our school district, I have had plenty of other things to keep me going. My younger daughter, JMW, and I spent last Saturday cleaning the house and finally decorating for Halloween/Autumn. One thing I discovered, and I am not sure why I had not used it before, is that Windex is great for cleaning the outside surfaces of the refrigerator. It now looks as good as it did when we bought it for our first home over 14 years ago! We even purged all of the refrigerator art, magnets and other "stuff" that cluttered the front of the fridge. Our calendars (one family calendar, one lunch menu calendar-extremely important!), a special frame for displaying artwork (that will be changed out periodically), magnets from businesses that we frequently call (such as the pizza shop!) and a few photos in magnet frames (I love those magnet frames!) are left to grace the fridge. It looks so much better!
One other project I undertook was building shelves for my canned goods. I canned peaches, applesauce, pickles and some preserves and jams. All I needed was a place to store all of those jars of goodies. The project took more time than I anticipated, but I ended up with plenty of shelf space and have a convenient spot at the bottom of our basement stairs to keep it. Looking at the filled jars lining the shelves is almost like looking at a work of art. The deep colors of the strawberry preserves, the bright yellow-orange of the canned peaches, the summery green of the pickles and the rest of the preserved fruits, all of those colors come together for a display that is candy for the eyes. I will post a picture sometime soon.
Before wrapping up this post today, I have to share this. This morning I woke up with this song in my head: "Jesus is a friend of mine. From now until the end of time. He is in my heart; we will never be apart. Yes, Jesus is a friend of mine." The only reason I can come up with for having that tune dancing around in my head is that maybe I needed that reminder today. I hope it doesn't mean anything for the rest of my day!
Wasting Time...
...is something I do well. For example, I awakened rather early for a Sat. (around 6:30) and was unable to go back to sleep due to a sore throat brought on by those wonderful autumn allergies. I came downstairs intending to start a writing project that I have been mulling over in my head. My first mistake was deciding to turn on the computer instead of brainstorming on paper. I know, I know, I could just start it on the computer; it is easy enough to type up what I already have in my head and then edit later. But, since the computer was on, I thought I might as well check e-mail. And maybe I will see if my sister has updated her blog. And what about the latest news? Or how about that sale at that on-line store? Or that article I have been wanting to read? Or...you get my point. Suddenly it is a couple of hours later and I have not even come close to accomplishing what I originally intended.
Well, at least it is a Sat. and I am not obligated to be anywhere at any certain time. And it is nice to be up early on a Sat. and have some time to myself before the rest of the household awakens. But, could I have used my time more efficiently? I am certain I could have. However, I chose to let myself wander around the internet and play a couple of games. What could I have done to be more productive in that quiet time I had before the day really got started? Following is a list of things to combat time stealers.
Well, at least it is a Sat. and I am not obligated to be anywhere at any certain time. And it is nice to be up early on a Sat. and have some time to myself before the rest of the household awakens. But, could I have used my time more efficiently? I am certain I could have. However, I chose to let myself wander around the internet and play a couple of games. What could I have done to be more productive in that quiet time I had before the day really got started? Following is a list of things to combat time stealers.
- Make a priority list. Write down a list of things that must be accomplished today. Then prioritize them: what must be done first, second, etc. Then do them, crossing them off as you go. Seeing your list shrink is a great motivator.
- Make a list of things you want to do. Order this list according to what you expect to accomplish and when. {Regarding both of these items, unless it is something such as an appointment or work or something with a deadline (or my husband is out of socks), etc., I am not going to fret if it does not get crossed off my list that day. Some days there are just not enough hours in the day to do it all. That's why I prioritize. If the items at the bottom of the list do not get done, so be it. There is always tomorrow!}
- Know your limits! Keep in mind what distracts you. What pulls you away from the things you really need or want to do? What must be done to avoid temptation? When my daughters were younger, I had shorter amounts of time to do what I needed or wanted. Knowing that I would need to give them my time and attention was enough motivation to use my time efficiently. Now, the computer and the television take me away from my priorities. Limiting my t.v. time to a particular show and using a timer to limit computer time help keep me focused on my needs/wants list.
- Listen to your body! If I am tired, hungry or bursting with energy, I am distracted from my priorities. A little snooze, not skipping meals or eating a snack and taking a long, brisk walk keep me focused. Ignoring my body's signals leaves me irritated and lethargic and most definitely unmotivated.
- Allow time for fun! Nothing is a better motivator than having a good time once in a while. Plan time for a bit of fun (or at least some down time) each day. All work and no play makes for a cranky Mommy!
What works for you? Share your ideas in the comments section or feel free to e-mail me (address link is on my profile page).
A Confession
Even the organizer get disorganized!
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I store all of my seasonal decorations in the colored bins. And yes, even those bins are organized on the inside! Each is labeled, and in the case of multiple bins for one holiday or season, they are very specifically labeled with their contents. For example, when I begin decorating for Christmas, I start with the outdoor lights and garland. I know exactly which bins contain the lights, another has the garland. They are also stacked in the order I will take them down. Otherwise, with as many bins as I have, I would be constantly moving bins around in order to get to the one I want.
The clear bins I purchased to replace a couple of cardboard boxes were a deliberate purchase. I have consumables in each bin. I can take a quick peek to see if anything needs to be replaced. A small one contains bows for packages; a larger one for tissue paper, gift bags, ribbon, etc.
On the lower shelves, I have a clear bin and an orange bin. Each of these (one for each daughter) contains the projects and some schoolwork that our girls have done since they first picked up a crayon or a gluestick. I have sorted through them in the past, but the next time I do so, I intend to create a scrapbook (or scrapbooks) of some of the smaller projects and take photos of some of the larger, bulkier ones. I will keep you posted on my progress.
Not counting the time I took to drive to the recycling center with the cardboard and the store for the bins, total time for this reorganization project was approximately 3.5 hours.
As evidenced by the photos below, I allowed the storage area of our basement to get out of hand. I generally try to keep up, but living with 3 other people and by convincing myself that I was too busy (really unmotivated), this is what happened over the summer:
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Boxes piled up, some empty, some filled with legitimately stored items, no access to the shelves. What a mess!
Well, now things have calmed down a bit in my work schedule and I took advantage of some time off from substituting in our school district. I sorted, I threw out, I decided to recycle a lot of corrugated cardboard and I purchased two small, clear, storage bins ( I will touch more on that later) and now have back a clean, easily accessible storage area:
I store all of my seasonal decorations in the colored bins. And yes, even those bins are organized on the inside! Each is labeled, and in the case of multiple bins for one holiday or season, they are very specifically labeled with their contents. For example, when I begin decorating for Christmas, I start with the outdoor lights and garland. I know exactly which bins contain the lights, another has the garland. They are also stacked in the order I will take them down. Otherwise, with as many bins as I have, I would be constantly moving bins around in order to get to the one I want.
The clear bins I purchased to replace a couple of cardboard boxes were a deliberate purchase. I have consumables in each bin. I can take a quick peek to see if anything needs to be replaced. A small one contains bows for packages; a larger one for tissue paper, gift bags, ribbon, etc.
On the lower shelves, I have a clear bin and an orange bin. Each of these (one for each daughter) contains the projects and some schoolwork that our girls have done since they first picked up a crayon or a gluestick. I have sorted through them in the past, but the next time I do so, I intend to create a scrapbook (or scrapbooks) of some of the smaller projects and take photos of some of the larger, bulkier ones. I will keep you posted on my progress.
Not counting the time I took to drive to the recycling center with the cardboard and the store for the bins, total time for this reorganization project was approximately 3.5 hours.
Blog updates
Thanks to those of you who participated in my first poll. 1 person claimed to be totally organized, all the way down to color coding socks. 3 people feel mostly organized and 1 person feels somewhat organized.
As you can see, I have added links to the blogs I am following. They are 2 of my sisters, my younger brother and my aunt. If you are offended by anything you might read on those blogs, keep in mind, I am only related to them! However, I believe you will not find anything offensive. My older sister is a knitter. I encourage those of you who like to knit to give her blog a look. She keeps busy with her projects!
As you can see, I have added links to the blogs I am following. They are 2 of my sisters, my younger brother and my aunt. If you are offended by anything you might read on those blogs, keep in mind, I am only related to them! However, I believe you will not find anything offensive. My older sister is a knitter. I encourage those of you who like to knit to give her blog a look. She keeps busy with her projects!
An Official End to Summer (sigh)
First: Happy Birthday dear Maggie, happy birthday to you!!!
With a low in the 40s last night and an expected high around 70 degrees and Back to School Nights this past week, it's with a heavy sigh of disappointment that I bid the summer of 2008 a fond farewell. Ah, summer of 2008, how good you were and yet you leave me feeling empty. You gave me a couple of fun-filled and satisfying trips, but you left me wanting more. You came into my life in June, all hot and heavy and you abandon me now with an air of unexpected coolness. What happened? I had such high hopes for you and you have now dashed them all to the ground like so many falling leaves! Go ahead, leave me all alone and shivering as the cool winds of Autumn blow in, urging me into long pants and sweatshirts. Ohhh how I despise you now! With open arms, I must welcome Autumn in my life, not to replace you (how can your naturally warm caresses and liberal spontaneity be replaced?), but merely to take your place. Goodbye Summer of 2008. With fondness, I will always remember you!
With a low in the 40s last night and an expected high around 70 degrees and Back to School Nights this past week, it's with a heavy sigh of disappointment that I bid the summer of 2008 a fond farewell. Ah, summer of 2008, how good you were and yet you leave me feeling empty. You gave me a couple of fun-filled and satisfying trips, but you left me wanting more. You came into my life in June, all hot and heavy and you abandon me now with an air of unexpected coolness. What happened? I had such high hopes for you and you have now dashed them all to the ground like so many falling leaves! Go ahead, leave me all alone and shivering as the cool winds of Autumn blow in, urging me into long pants and sweatshirts. Ohhh how I despise you now! With open arms, I must welcome Autumn in my life, not to replace you (how can your naturally warm caresses and liberal spontaneity be replaced?), but merely to take your place. Goodbye Summer of 2008. With fondness, I will always remember you!
Rain Barrel
Just a quick update on my rain barrel. I didn't have a proper seal on my "spigot" at the bottom of the barrel in time for the passing of Hurricane Hanna's leftovers last weekend. However, after running into a friend while at Lowe's, she passed on a tidbit of information from another, mutual friend. You know those commercials you see on t.v. where the guy is shouting at the camera about some amazing green putty? Well, he wasn't lying! It wasn't green putty, but blue, and it is amazing. I sealed my "spigot" and have a full rain barrel! Due to the barrel being made of plastic and the pressure of a full barrel of water on the "spigot," I was doubting it would work. But it did! Now I have a late winter project-a second barrel for the other corner on the back of the house. I'll be happy to share my plans with anyone. Even a little bit of rain will fill up a 32 gallon barrel with all of the water collected off of your roof, saving your water bill (or your groundwater if you are on a well) and your plants when summer rains dry up!
Seasonal Decorating
SEASONAL DECORATING
Most people do a bit of decorating based on the seasons. It's nice to usher in the new season with a few things that are kept in storage for most of the year. Sometimes, just a few little items can give a room a new look and feel. Soon, I will be putting away all of the bright summery decorations and bringing out the Fall and Halloween decorations.
I am one who does not really enjoy cleaning, especially dusting. My daughter will dust for me and she does do a pretty good job, but sometimes, everything needs to be cleared off the surfaces and thoroughly dusted and cleaned. The best time to do that is when I change seasonal decorations. The decorations themselves get a good cleaning before they are put back into storage and all surfaces are shined and ready for the next season. Depending on how much I have (every year it seems like I put away a little more than the year before. Somehow, end-of-season sale items end up in my shopping cart!) and how many family members help, it may take a day or two for the whole process to be completed. The rooms look and smell (citrusy) fresh as a result. It makes me feel good to have accomplished this task.
I go through this process with every season change. I know I should dust thoroughly more often (some of us have asthma and allergies), but, except for summer, it does get done about every month and a half. Below is a list of most decorating seasons. Maybe you have more holidays to add to the list. Just leave them in the comment section. I could add them to my list and dust my house more often!
Most people do a bit of decorating based on the seasons. It's nice to usher in the new season with a few things that are kept in storage for most of the year. Sometimes, just a few little items can give a room a new look and feel. Soon, I will be putting away all of the bright summery decorations and bringing out the Fall and Halloween decorations.
I am one who does not really enjoy cleaning, especially dusting. My daughter will dust for me and she does do a pretty good job, but sometimes, everything needs to be cleared off the surfaces and thoroughly dusted and cleaned. The best time to do that is when I change seasonal decorations. The decorations themselves get a good cleaning before they are put back into storage and all surfaces are shined and ready for the next season. Depending on how much I have (every year it seems like I put away a little more than the year before. Somehow, end-of-season sale items end up in my shopping cart!) and how many family members help, it may take a day or two for the whole process to be completed. The rooms look and smell (citrusy) fresh as a result. It makes me feel good to have accomplished this task.
I go through this process with every season change. I know I should dust thoroughly more often (some of us have asthma and allergies), but, except for summer, it does get done about every month and a half. Below is a list of most decorating seasons. Maybe you have more holidays to add to the list. Just leave them in the comment section. I could add them to my list and dust my house more often!
- Winter
- Valentine's Day
- St. Patrick's Day
- Easter/Spring
- Summer
- Fall/Halloween
- Fall/Thanksgiving
- Christmas
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